Journal of neurosurgery
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2018
Endovascular management of acute epidural hematomas: clinical experience with 80 cases.
OBJECTIVE Small acute epidural hematomas (EDHs) treated conservatively carry a nonmeasurable risk of late enlargement due to middle meningeal artery (MMA) lesions. Patients with EDHs need to stay hospitalized for several days, with neurological supervision and repeated CT scans. In this study, the authors analyzed the safety and efficacy of the embolization of the involved MMA and associated lesions. ⋯ In the 80 cases in this series, no increase in size of the EDH was observed and the clinical evolution was uneventful, without Glasgow Coma Scale score modification after embolization and with no need for surgical evacuation. In contrast, the control cohort from the literature consisted of 471 patients, 82 (17.4%) of whom shifted from conservative treatment to surgical evacuation. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that MMA embolization is a highly effective and safe method to achieve size stabilization in nonsurgically treated acute EDHs.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2018
Deep brain stimulation for the early treatment of the minimally conscious state and vegetative state: experience in 14 patients.
OBJECTIVE An effective treatment of patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS) or vegetative state (VS) caused by hypoxic encephalopathy or traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not yet available. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic reticular nuclei has been attempted as a therapeutic procedure mainly in patients with TBI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic use of DBS for patients in VS or MCS. ⋯ The other 7 patients remained without substantial improvement of consciousness. CONCLUSIONS Spontaneous recovery from MCS/VS to the level of consciousness with no or minimal need for assistance in everyday life is very rare. Therefore, if a patient in VS or MCS fulfills the selection criteria (presence of somatosensory evoked potentials from upper extremities, motor and brainstem auditory evoked potentials, with cerebral glucose metabolism affected not more than the level of hypometabolism, which is judged using PET), DBS could be a treatment option.
-
OBJECTIVE Despite a hemorrhagic presentation, many patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) do not require emergency resection. The timing of definitive management is not standardized in the cerebrovascular community. This study was designed to evaluate the safety of delaying AVM treatment in clinically stable patients with a new hemorrhagic presentation. ⋯ The present data are useful in that the findings quantify the risk of the authors' treatment strategy. These findings indicate that delaying intervention for at least 4 weeks after the initial hemorrhage subjects the patient to a low (< 1%) risk of rehemorrhage. The authors modified the treatment paradigm when a high-risk feature, such as an associated intracranial aneurysm, was identified.
-
Abstracts of the Oral Presentations 2018 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2018
Evaluation of surgical treatment for neuropathic pain from neuroma in patients with injured peripheral nerves.
OBJECTIVE Chronic neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury is a major clinical problem. Its management is difficult, and therapeutic approaches vary and include oral medication, neurostimulation, and surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the adequacy of surgical nerve revision in a large series of patients with long-term follow-up. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS Bearing in mind that medication achieves satisfying pain relief in only 30%-40% of patients with neuropathic pain, surgery must be considered as an effective alternative therapy. No objective criteria were shown to be factors of poor prognosis. Systematic preoperative clinical mapping of the injured nerves and diagnostic nerve blocks could improve the primary success rate of the surgery.